CBC Toronto will carry the announcement live at 9 a.m. ET. You’ll be able to watch it in the player above. Children’s hospitals across Ontario have been dealing with an unprecedented increase in sick children in recent weeks. Moore previously said this fall and winter would see a resurgence of respiratory illnesses and that he would recommend a mask in certain indoor spaces if hospitals began canceling surgeries to deal with a surge of patients. Medical officials are also increasingly urging the public to cover up after children’s hospitals across the province were overwhelmed by young patients in emergency departments, pediatric wards and intensive care units. On Friday, the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto announced that it will limit operating rooms to redeploy staff in those areas. SickKids CEO Dr. Ronald Kohn said the cancellation of surgeries is a big blow to children, their families and healthcare workers. “It’s heartbreaking for the families and the kids because, you know, the term ‘elective surgery’ doesn’t really exist in kids,” Cohn told CBC Toronto, adding that it’s about finding the right time to schedule and do the surgery. . “It’s also incredibly morally distressing for all of us as health professionals, recognizing that we can’t actually do these procedures for children, knowing they need them,” Cohn said. On Sunday, Premier Doug Ford urged Ontarians to “wear a mask whenever possible.” (Robert Krbavac/CBC News) Meanwhile, speaking at a press conference on Sunday, on an unrelated matter, Premier Doug Ford urged members of the public to get their flu shots and be up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations. “Wear a mask whenever possible,” Ford said. Ford did not respond to repeated questions Sunday about whether his administration would mandate masks in any setting. “I will follow Dr. Moore’s direction,” Ford said, a line he repeated several times when pressed on the matter.
